Office Love
by StenciledAngel
Summary: AU. Final Fantasy VII characters in office. CloudxAerith fanfic. Chapter 4 up, accompanied with two long messages for readers.
1. Chapter I: Chance Encounter

**Disclaimer:** I am in no way affiliated with Square-Enix and I do not claim ownership of Final Fantasy VII and its respective storyline, settings, and characters. This story is solely for public entertainment and is strictly non-profit.

**Inspiration:** Thank you for all the lovely, well-written Cloud and Aerith fan-fictions out there! I'm sorry if I can't remember which ones to point out, but I think you all know who you might be. Special thanks to Square-Enix, formerly Squaresoft, for making such a great game. And finally, thank you to Mikoto Fuzuki, Rio Kisumi, Sachi Sorano, and Nami Sakazami. These are the authors of the CloudxAerith doujinshi "Love Me, I Love you." Their artwork has inspired this fan-fiction.

**Dedication:** To all loyal CloudxAerith fans out there. Much love.

**Other:** Stop with the abundance of SephirothxAerith fics! He killed her...

Sorry for the long note, and now, on with the story.

* * *

_**Office Love**_

"**Chapter One: Chance Encounter"**

"It's Ae_rith_" – Aerith

* * *

Cloud sat at his office table, sorting through important paperwork and trying to find the stack labeled "Midgar Plate: Critical Repair of Sector 7." Sighing, he dropped several stacks of red tape back on the desk, and ran his fingers through his hair. 

However, his moment of respite was interrupted when a dark-haired woman entered the room. Her suit was the color of ebony, flawless in every aspect. She obviously took her time to make sure her clothes were without a wrinkle. The material seemed to cling to her skin tightly, revealing her rather prominent and attractive figure, especially her chest. Her eyes were a light mahogany, and they accentuated her beauty perfectly. She cleared her throat and took a few steps into the room.

Cloud looked up and met her gaze. "Tifa?"

"Hey Cloud, I was just stopping by the see how you were doing."

"Oh? Well... I'm all right," he said slowly. Tifa had been his friend since childhood, and he was glad that they were able to both get a job together at Shin-Ra. He once had a crush on her, but it had gone unreciprocated throughout their youth. He was still fond of her, although he wasn't exactly sure to what extent. _Still, it would be nice if she could knock first..._

Tifa nodded slowly in response. She knew Cloud wasn't very good with words. To strangers, he sounded cold and apathetic, but after awhile, you got used to it. Besides, it was probably just a side-effect of being a professional. Cloud had always impressed his employers with his cool, collected demeanor, and easily climbed the corporate ladder. They had been admitted into the company two years ago, and already he was making five times as much as her - and hers was a pretty hefty salary. Plus, his appearance was more than just "above-average". _Maybe that's why I'm attracted to him_... Tifa realized that she'd been nodding for the past few moments and tried to cover up with a small cough. "So..." she began, "I was wondering if you'd like to have some coffee with me later?"

"Sure."

"Great! I'll see you at break then," Tifa said, obviously overjoyed. However, she soon realized she'd spoken a bit too hastily and quickly suppressed her happiness. In less than a second, she was back in her calm, business stance. She said a terse goodbye and headed out the door, closing it gently.

Cloud resumed looking around his cluttered desk until he finally stumbled upon the elusive documents. "Aha..." he muttered. Quickly, he packed it into a yellow folder and looked at his watch. It read 11:30. He had relatively thirty minutes to deliver the folder to President Rufus and meet Tifa at the café. Not wanting to be late, he immediately left towards the elevator.

---

Aerith sighed. _Couldn't they design a more comfortable uniform? _Once again, she began tugging at her skirt, trying to get it lower. Not only did it refuse to budge, but it seemed to fasten tighter around her mid-thigh. She sighed again, exasperated. _I'm lucky I was able to get this job, but still... _Aerith shook her head at her thoughts. _No, I shouldn't be complaining on the first day... I'm probably just not used to being in an office yet. _Remembering that she had to files to deliver, she continued her journey down the hallway, picking up speed.

As Aerith turned the corner, completely absorbed in her thoughts, she abruptly smashed into a tall man.

A few moments later, papers were fluttering onto the ground and both of them struggled to get back on their feet. Aerith kneeled on the ground, sitting back on her legs, and rubbed her forehead vigorously. "Oh, I'm so sorry," she managed to say sincerely, head still bent down at a slight angle. The guy was already on his feet and began straightening his tie.

"Jeez, lady, can't you watch where you're..." Cloud's voice trailed off. He instantly regretted what he'd said. Before him was a vision of beauty. Her long, chestnut tresses were tied back into a tight braid by a slender black ribbon. Her bangs were parted in the center and left to fall freely, while two curls on each side of her face flowed down to her shoulders. Her grey vest and skirt revealed a slender figure with graceful curves. He was about to apologize when he noticed a hint of annoyance in her expressive, emerald eyes.

"How rude! I have a name, you know," she said, glaring slightly. "And, I said I was sorry." Cloud realized he was being put on the defensive less than two minutes into the conversation, and resented that she was already talking to him as if _she_ were the superior.

"Oh really? How was I supposed to know when you didn't even tell me?" Cloud asked bitterly.

Aerith rolled her eyes, and said as calmly as she could, "It's Aerith."

"Well then, Aeris...," He was immediately cut off.

"It's Ae_rith_," she said, placing an emphasis on the last syllable.

"Alright then, Miss Ae_rith, why _–_"_ Again, he was abruptly cut off.

"Don't you mean, Miss Gainsborough?" she asked, voice dripping with sarcasm.

Cloud resisted the urge to yell at her. Her impetuous attitude was already beginning to wear away at his patience. However, he knew that useless to scream his lungs out at her. After a moment, he said calmly, "All right, all right. _Miss Gainsborough_, would you be so kind as to help me clean this mess that _you_ made?"

Aerith opened her mouth to defend herself, but instead began to giggle. "Oh...are you done yet?" she murmured. Then, "I'm sorry, I guess I got a little carried away, I have a lot on my mind, and..." she ended with a smile. "Sorry." Sober, she began picking up the papers.

"Yeah, well, apology accepted," he said, gruffly.

Aerith handed him a folder. Now that she was able to look at him directly, she noticed how attractive he was and locked gazes with his deep, azure eyes. When she finally noticed that she was staring, and that _he_ had noticed that she was staring, Aerith immediately turned her face away, feeling her cheeks burn slightly. Unknown to her, a faint hint of red was mirrored on Cloud's face as well.

After a moment of awkward silence, Cloud was the first to break. "Thanks. Sorry for snapping at you earlier. I better get going."

Aerith returned her glance to his face. "It's okay, like I said, I'm sorry too. I should've looked where I was going." Feeling embarrassed again, Aerith hastily brushed past him and continued down the hall, her braid swaying from side-to-side. By the time she was at the end, she realized she didn't even know his name yet.

Meanwhile, Cloud scratched the back of his neck nervously and made his way to the elevator. When he was finally inside, he decided to go visit Tifa first, since there was only ten minutes until noon. As the elevator lurched downward, Cloud felt a slight pang of regret that he hadn't been more amiable towards the young woman, and that he probably wouldn't see her again. _I didn't even introduce myself._

Just as Cloud finished with his thoughts, the door of the elevator smoothly glided open.

* * *

**Written:** September 1st, 2004 

**Submitted:** September 1st, 2004

**Last Edited: **September 16th, 2006

I hope you enjoyed reading. I should have the next chapter up in a week. Two at most. College really takes a lot out of you, so I won't be able to work on it as much as I would love to. I have a very faint blueprint about how I want the next chapter to turn out, but I'm honestly just going with the flow. Please be sure to review and share your comments, questions, and suggestions with me. I'd appreciate it very much.


	2. Chapter II: Dissonance

_**Office Love**_

**"Chapter Two: Dissonance"**

"Accident my ass" – Barret

* * *

"Cloud?" 

"Huh?"

"You seem distracted; I was trying to ask you what you wanted to drink..."

"Coffee, right?"

"Yes, but..." Tifa frowned and tried again, "What I meant was if you just want it black, or if you preferred it with cream and stuff. Or, maybe you'd want it decaf?" Noticing the distant look on his face that was manifesting itself in his eyes, Tifa murmured anxiously, "_Cloud_..."

Cloud shook his head furiously and blinked. "Tifa, sorry, I guess I'm a little out of it today. You'd better get me an espresso instead." Cloud flashed his charming half-grin.

"Don't worry, it happens to the best of us," she said with a knowing smile. _I hope it wasn't something I did to make him so tense. Maybe I'm coming on to him too fast..._

"Want a sandwich with that?"

"Sure. Now that you mention it, I'm pretty hungry."

"Yeah, me too. I never eat breakfast."

After a few minutes, Cloud was savoring his BLT while Tifa worked on her meager plate of pasta. They chatted idly, and Tifa finally glanced at her watch. _Just when we were having a nice conversation... _She immediately stood up and reached into her purse for her wallet.

"Long shift today?" He looked down to see her holding an opened purse. "Don't worry about the money, it's on me."

Tifa nodded. "Yeah, I actually have to stop by my office briefly and then go to the sky lobby and meet some new client." She paused and smiled. "I owe you one."

"Nah, that's all right. Go on."

Tifa resisted an urge to lean over and give him a peck on the cheek, and instead said a simple thank you, followed by a goodbye.

After Tifa had left, Cloud quickly finished the rest of his lunch, and reclined back - brooding about his encounter with the female coworker he had bumped into. She was obviously new to the company, and he didn't know why he was wasting so much time thinking about her. There was something strangely magnetic about her. _No! That's just my hormones talking. She's just a clumsy, inexperienced _hireling_. So what if she's gorgeous. I'll just be wasting my time trying to get acquainted with her. Let alone _think _about her. And then, there's Tifa...? _The last thought finished as an unanswered question.

His internal musings satisfied for the time being, Cloud exhaled with relief. He got off his seat and pulled out his wallet, leaving behind a generous tip. Reaching for the yellow folder, he suddenly noticed that there was a pink tab embedded on the binding. His blood ran cold. Small beads of perspiration formed above his brow.

The label read: "Midgar Beautification Committee: Flowers for Sector 7." With a shaky hand, he opened the flap to reveal several lovely, hand-drawn flower sets. President Rufus would not be happy at all.

A single word emerged in his mind.

"_Shit!_"

Despite himself, however, he also felt a faint trace of elation knowing that he'd get to meet Miss Aerith Gainsborough once again.

---

Aerith flushed crimson. She'd already looked around the 61st floor three times to make sure that she hadn't passed by the Sector 7 office. Instead, the only thing she had managed to accomplish was losing her breath. _Oh, hey..._

Aerith approached the pretty woman walking down the corridor. "Excuse me," she said, greedily panting for air, "would you happen…to know…where the sector 7 office…is?"

The woman nodded confidently. "Yes, it seems like you're two floors off." She pointed up. "You're new, aren't you?"

"Yes..." Aerith trailed off, vaguely embarrassed at the question.

The woman laughed. "Sorry, I was just thinking about how _everyone_ in this building gets lost, even those who have offices above the 60th floor and have been here _forever_. I'm Tifa Lockhart, nice to meet you."

Aerith smiled warmly back as an answer and met the outstretched hand. She was afraid that Tifa was going to tease her, but it turned out she was only amused at the situation. "I'm Aerith Gainsborough, nice to meet you, too."

"I would love to chat, but I got to run. Oh, and the elevator is that way," Tifa said, pointing to where she came from.

"Thanks for your time, Tifa!" Aerith called after her retreating back. With that, she headed for the elevator. _I guess this wasn't just a complete waste of time. After all, I got to meet Tifa. And then, there was that mysterious blonde guy._

_-_

When Aerith arrived on the 63rd floor, she realized that she was starving. She spotted a vending machine not very far away and made her way to it, carefully crossing at intersections to avoid ramming into an unsuspecting person. Once there, she skimmed through the selection and inserted a single gil into the slot. She was awarded with a metallic snick and, seconds later, with a dull thud.

Opening the package of peanuts, she brought it close to her nose and sniffed. _Pretty stale, but I guess it's better than starving to death. _She was just about to pop some into her mouth when she heard a harsh rasping noise coming from the ground behind her. Startled, she turned and loosened her grip on the bag. Soon after, dozens of peanuts rained upon the floor, scattering like ants.

"Fuck! What the hell you think you're doin'?" a man with bulging biceps asked, glowering.

Aerith took a few seconds to compose her response. "Let's see..." she began, "I think I was feeling hungry, so I went over to this machine here, and I put a coin in..." Aerith was pleased to notice that the man was beginning to fume impatiently. Amused, she continued, "Suddenly someone sneaks up behind me and makes a _horrible _noise. I guess I became a little scared, so I accidentally dropped the bag. And then, I was going to apologize, but before I could this man begins to scream his head off at me. I think that's about it. Oh, and I think I should also mention that he contributed to the mess himself," she said, pointing smugly to the crushed peanuts underneath the towering man's boots.

"Accident my ass. You office kids are all the same, thinkin' you can throw your nasty trash all over the place and have the janitors take care of it. Damn girl – you got some nerve tryin' to blame everythin' on me. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're takin' pleasure at my discomfort. I was only doin' my job." Barret paused for his breath. "Name's Barret. Ain't never heard of a woman that gets nervous by the noise of a broom." With that, Barret swept half of the peanuts in his dust pan, making the same raspy noise upon the polished floor.

"I'm Aerith, nice to meet you." She resisted the urge to smile as he grunted in return. "Listen, I really am sorry. If it makes you feel any better, I lost a gil in this whole incident."

"Bah, lose two thousand more and I'll forgive you."

Aerith stifled her laughter. "So, are we okay with one another? I'm just really tired of getting into arguments today. Guys in this office are so weird."

"Fine, but if I catch you litterin' again I'm gonna to whoop your sexy ass."

Aerith couldn't take it anymore and bent over forwards. She clutched the folder tightly to her chest and burst out laughing, tears forming at the corner of her green eyes. Barret grinned widely. After a moment, her laughter gradually subsided.

"It's a deal."

-

Aerith journeyed down the hallway, careful not to run into anyone. Finally, she reached a door with a golden plaque reading "Sector 7". She knocked and heard a faint response. Slowly, she opened the door and entered.

"Good afternoon sir, I'm here to deliver the sketches you requested."

The man with brown hair and a well-groomed goatee stood up and gestured for her to come in. "Sketches? I don't remember ordering any sketches." He stroked his chin. "Wait a minute, I remember. Bring them over here, would you?"

The green-eyed office clerk approached the man and handed him the folder curtly. He took it casually and then strode back to his desk, placing it on the immaculate surface. "Very good." As Aerith turned to depart, he added, "Oh, by the way, would you please do me a quick errand before you leave?"

Aerith's glanced at her stomach forlornly. _I guess you're just going to have to wait a little bit longer_. She lifted her head and nodded congenially. "Of course, I would be delighted to, Mr –"

"Just call me Reeve. You must be the new employee. Uh..."

"Aerith Gainsborough."

"Well, then, Miss Gainsborough, please do me a big favor and run two copies of these files for me." Reeve held up a thin looking folder.

"Of course, I would be more than happy to. Where are the copy machines located?"

Reeve was already back at his seat and looked up almost impatiently. "Down the hall, of course."

"Um, I really hate to be a bother, but would you mind giving me specific directions?" She felt her cheeks burn just thinking about her tendency for heated encounters.

Reeve chuckled deeply. "Ahaha! I get where you're coming from. Don't worry, happens to everyone here at least once. It's just down the hall that way," he pointed in to his left and continued, "third door to the right."

Aerith gave him a polite smile. "Thank you, I'll be right back."

As Aerith left for the copy room, Reeve glanced through the folder she had delivered. _Holy...how did she know that we needed a plate repair analysis?_ He continued to stream through the papers._ Whoa! This thing looks perfect! And to think I gave her such a demeaning job. I better let the boss know about this, that girl deserves a promotion! _

With that, Reeve accessed his console and got ready to fax the documents straight to the President.

-

_Here it is, got it on my first try, too._ Aerith smiled inwardly and opened the door to the copy room. However, she frowned with dismay as she observed the conditions of her surroundings. The only thing lighting up the barren room was a flickering bulb attached to the ceiling, and the only sounds that she heard were those of her own footsteps drowned by the constant hum of the machines. _Creepy. _Feeling vaguely uneasy, she approached the nearest machine and tried operating it. _Not working..._

Aerith suppressed a shudder. She hastened to the machine in the way back and pressed the "on" button. As she waited for it to start up, she thought she heard a fluttering noise behind her.

She halfway turned and scanned her surroundings a second time – finding nothing out of the ordinary. "Is someone there...?" she asked, tentatively.

No response. This time, she didn't attempt to suppress the chill that crawled down her spine. Aerith went back to waiting for the machine. Suddenly, she heard a sharp noise from the ceiling. She whirled around to catch a glimpse of gleaming silver metal before the light bulb shattered. The acrid smell of the burnt tungsten filled the air. Aerith ran towards the door but it was too late. She felt a slashing pain across her abdomen.

Aerith screamed.

* * *

**Written:** September 2nd, 2004 – September 6th, 2004 

**Submitted:** September 6th, 2004

**Last Edited:**

**Commentary:** I think "Dissonance" will probably remain one of my favorite chapters throughout the entire story. I was a little worried when I first started this fanfiction that my male characters would end up being feminine – but after the Barret scene I had my doubts washed away. I'm sorry for all of you who love Barret, but I'm not sure I'll be able to incorporate him in following chapters. And since I'm apologizing, I really need to say sorry for being such a tease and leaving you guys with this ending! I'll give you all some very broad hints about the resolution of this ending scene just to make up for this; it's unexpected, it was planned from the start, and I'm avoiding all possible outcomes of Aerith dying or being severely hospitalized. I really just hate the kind of melodrama that accompanies vegetative/death scenes. Again, I'm really sorry for the suspense. Anyways, I'm really looking forward to your reviews! I was really flattered about getting ten reviews with just my first chapter. Keep them coming! I'm really looking forward to hearing your feedback. By the way, although I have a third of the next chapter planned out, the next update still will come in a week or two. I put this one out early because I was just itching to get it off my skin.

And to the reviewers...

Solid Strife: Thank you for being the first reviewer. I'm especially happy since it was on the publishing date... Again, many thanks! I'd love to get some suggestions as to what you want to see in later chapters so I can incorporate it into the story. It's a thank you gift.

SleepingStarz: I'm afraid I can't scan some pages of the doujinshi for you, since its back at home. I'll look around the internet and see if I can fish up some scans for you, and I'll be sure to e-mail it ASAP. Thanks for reading!

Nephilim, aeris77777, White Illusion: Thank you, hope you guys enjoyed this chapter as much as the last one.

Trekken46: You're so very welcome. I _hate_ SephxAerith fics with a passion, but I don't really mind CloudxTifa fics. I don't mind the whole Aeris/Aerith spelling either, although it is supposed to be Aerith. As long as we're talking about our same beloved protagonist, right?

Tacofoolio: Hah, I hope you liked the Barret scene just as much as that one. I'll try to add a little humor in every chapter. Don't you like a stubborn Aerith?

DivineAngel143: It sounds so nice to have someone call writing beautiful, thanks for being the first. I did a few minor tweaks to the first chapter, nothing major, but maybe just enough to counter those errors. Hope I caught them. Thanks for reviewing.

Hikaru-009: Yes, I don't think I stated it outright, but it was implied that they're working for Shin-Ra. I'm really glad you brought that up, because I've yet to decide how mako/materia work, or even if I should add them. And now that you mention it, I will have a little background of Shin-Ra in the next chapter (hint).

XXAeris4rmff7XX: Thanks for your enthusiasm! I will keep writing, promise.


	3. Chapter III: Dismal Waters

**Author's Note:** Many, many apologies for those who were waiting for this third chapter. It was cruel to leave you guys on a cliffhanger and on an unfulfilled promise. I wish I could excuse myself by saying college and work have overwhelmed me, but that isn't the case – I simply was lazy and unmotivated. So, once again, my deepest regrets and apologies. Also, I would like to truly thank those who have reviewed; twenty-seven on just two chapters is more than I could ask for. Thank you so much. I'll add commentary next time, since I'm too ashamed this time around. Well then, it's time for me to stop delaying and go onward with the story.

* * *

_**Office Love**_

"**Chapter III: Dismal Waters"**

"I'm sorry." – Aerith

* * *

After what seemed like an eternity, Aerith managed to stand up, her balance still weak. Her eyes had adjusted to the dim lighting in the room, but remained half closed in pain. She brushed her hand across her stomach, feeling the soft fabric of her vest – no rips, no blood. 

Surprised and somewhat confused, Aerith turned once again to flee the room, feeling the presence of a person before actually seeing a faint silhouette emerge in front of her.

Aerith opened her mouth again to scream.

Not surprisingly, a small hand clamped itself tightly upon her mouth, followed by a feminine voice. "Shh! You're making a scene. Just be quiet, and no one gets hur—ow!" The girl clutched her shin as Aerith bolted towards the doorway.

"Hey, _hey_!" the girl hissed. With well-trained agility, the mysterious stranger leapt from the floor and landed behind Aerith, grabbing onto her ankles and taking her down with her. Both of them fell to the floor with a dull thump. A handheld device attached to the girl's belt clattered to the floor and slid towards Aerith.

Taking advantage of the situation, Aerith instinctively got up on her feet and grabbed it before the girl could respond. "Stop right there!" she said firmly as the girl began to rise.

The girl allowed herself a grimace of dismay before flattening herself on the ground again.

Aerith proceeded towards one of the copying machines and opened the lid, allowing light to filter into the room. "I guess we'd better start with the basics," Aerith began. "I want to who you are, why you're here, and of course, what this is." Aerith waved the device about as an indication but otherwise kept it trained on the girl.

"Okay, okay…you got me, but could I please at least get up?" she inquired with a lilting voice.

"No, you can speak perfectly fine from the floor. You're doing a very good job at it, in fact."

"Aw, nuts. Pretty please?"

"Fine, fine—but no tricks."

"No tricks." The girl then proceeded to get up slowly and sat crossed-legged on the floor. "My name is Yuffie, what's yours?"

Aerith was stunned by the apparent openness of the assailant, but recovered quickly. "I'm Aerith…now please finish answering the questions…truthfully." She barely managed to conceal a note of irritation from her voice.

To her surprise, Yuffie grinned widely and fiddled with her green bandana. "If you must know, Aerith, I'm from Wutai INC. My father is the president. I'm from the world renowned Kisaragis, you know. I was sent here to gather some of Shin-Ra's secrets. Umm… like the next big thing and all that other mumbo-jumbo you guys always come up with. And…um, that thing you're holding belongs to me. I use it mainly to extract some data from these machines, but it also has the added purpose of functioning as a stun gun. You're so lucky that I only used a small charge for you—although perhaps I should've upped it a bit for you." Aerith scowled, but Yuffie continued, oblivious. "If you don't mind, I want it back."

Aerith furrowed her brow in thought, once again eying the girl suspiciously. "That was a little too easy, and why should I trust you after you tried to kill me? Besides, what kind of father sends his daughter to do the dirty work? Furthermore, what kind of person looks for classified information in a copying room? Ridiculous. You would think they'd be smart and try for the president's office."

Yuffie, finding her abilities questioned, did not bother to hide the prideful indignation in her voice from the Shin-Ra employee. "First, I _am_ President Kisaragi's daughter, and I was trained as a ninja, so of course he would trust me most to infiltrate Shin-Ra. You won't believe how easy it is to penetrate the building by going up the staircases. Secondly, I did not try to kill you… just knock you out for awhile. Thirdly, you're _so _clueless. Going to the copying room is one of _the_ best places to gather data. Since everyone makes copies, all I have to do is install a recording device and come back again later to extract every scanned document."

Aerith frowned and asked, "Why are you telling me all this? Aren't you afraid I'm going to report you?"

"Not at all. You see, Wutai INC is corporately almost as powerful as Shin-Ra, in terms of worldwide influence. So you see, it's in Shin-Ra's best interest to release me _if_ I was ever caught. We're rivals, so it'll destroy any hope of an alliance if they denounced me. I'm sure you've heard of the talk of an arranged marriage between me and President Rufus. He's hot, but…" Again, Yuffie grinned widely. "See how smart I am?"

Aerith nodded and returned the device. "So if I tell on you…they wouldn't believe me. And since I can't tell on you, I'm a fellow conspirator, so I would be just as guilty." Aerith sighed. "That's a nasty paradox, and I'm still mad at you for trying to kill me."

"I did not try to kill you!" Yuffie huffed. She paused for a moment, then: "Hey, I hear someone coming… I better split. Pleasure meeting you Aerith, I have a feeling we'll see one another again some other time. Thanks a bunch for helping me with my work! Father will love these." With that, Yuffie hopped over to the ventilation shaft and disappeared.

_What a strange girl_. Aerith quickly gathered the copied files and left the room, only to come face to face with the tall handsome stranger from earlier.

She smiled, but it immediately faded when she noticed the agitated look on his face. "Is something wrong…?"

"As a matter of fact, there is. I believe this filth is yours?" With one violent sweep of his arm, a folder with a pink tab slammed unto the floor several feet away, papers hesitantly streamed downward and scattered on the floor, oddly reminiscent of their earlier encounter. _Damn it, that's not what I wanted to do…_

Before he could apologize for his brashness, Aerith brushed past him and gathered the mess, sending a bewildered gaze at the half-bent files. Her brow furrowed with confusion when she recognized the sketches. Slowly, she stood up and faced Cloud.

"I don't understand, these are mine. How did you get them…?"

Cloud drew in a deep breath, torn between shame and anger. "I… that time when we met, something must've…" He paused, and his anger overcame his shame. "You did it on purpose, didn't you? I should've known… and you played it all off like it was some sort of accident. You could've cost me my joball so that you could get promoted." Cloud clenched his fist stiffly at his side. "Seems like you succeeded, too. I just talked to Reeves, and he told me about how wonderful our beloved new employee is. Practically singing praises. I hope you're goddamn happy with yourself, Ae_rith_ Gainsborough."

Aerith stood rooted to her spot, one hand shading her eyes, and the other clutched tightly to the folders. The stresses of the day had finally reached a climax within her. She inhaled a shaky breath, and her lips trembled as she spoke. "I'm… sorry. I am truly so, so sorry for…" _Everything. For everything. "_…for everything." Aerith bowed her head slightly, and the tears glimmered in her eyes as she rushed down the hall. A veil of sorrow hung thickly in the air.

It was then that Cloud's shame overcame his anger.

* * *

**Written:** January – March 26th, 2005 

**Submitted:** March 27th, 2005

**Last Edited:** September 16th, 2006


	4. Chapter IV: Illuminated

**Author's Note: **Another round of apologies is appropriate, but insufficient. For what it's worth, I'm very sorry about the very slow updating of this fanfic. It's been a little over two years since I've submitted this, and back then I surely didn't have the faintest idea that it would be a project that would transverse that long stretch of time. For me, it actually seems like only a week or two since I've written the first lines, and I wonder if you guys feel the same. Contrary to how it sounds like now, this is not another "well, it was a good run while it lasted, but I'm going to call it quits" message, though I can see how it sounds like one. I can assure you guys that I'm going to definitely put more effort into working on this. I think it's important that I inform you guys that I am much more cynical than I was two years ago, and consequently I'm sure my writing style has also undergone some changes. However, I'm kinda certain that my romantic side hasn't been affected (mostly) and I hope these changes are for the better and won't affect the quality of this fanfiction as a whole. I have already taken the liberty of reading the older chapters, which has always been a somewhat arduous task for me, to refresh my memory as well as add some very minor edits, which has not changed the plot situation, so you don't have to go back and reread if you don't want to. I think that's all I have to say, aside from the upcoming commentary, except that I must add that I would be very grateful if the readers that have been following _Office Love_ since its inception would continue their interest in it, despite having to put up with a very irresponsible writer.

* * *

_**Office Love**_

"**Chapter IV: Illuminated"**

"—I want to meet him" – Aerith

* * *

The faint and familiar sounds of a ballad drifted lazily through the brisk night air from the music hall, floating into the partially opened window of Aerith's bedroom. A gentle breeze nudged the gossamer curtains, moving them gracefully along with the tune. 

However, Aerith paid little attention to the distractions. Instead, she sat upright on her bed, arms enfolding her legs and her head bent slightly askew on her knee. Beside her sat a plain wooden jewel box, its lid outstretched towards the ceiling. She stared out at the evening sky, and spotted the faint sliver of a moon just above the distant outline of Shin-Ra's Headquarters. Gradually, the silver beams of moonlight crept up slowly and bathed her room.

Aerith moved her hand up towards the window. The moonlight reflected brilliantly off a tiny, clear orb held precipitously between her thumb and forefinger. Aerith shifted it to just the right angle, sending scintillating beams of iridescent light throughout the room. Flecks of colors shimmered in an endless dance along the walls.

The orb she carried was materia, specifically her birth mother's.

A gentle rap at the door jolted her awake from her dreamlike state and Aerith quickly diverted her attention away from the orb, dropping it gently unto the mattress.

A muffled voice sounded through the door. "Aerith, may I come in?" After a short moment of silence, the knob turned reluctantly and the door opened to reveal Elmyra. She stood at the entrance, her hands clasped together meekly.

"Sweetie, is everything all right? I've been really worried about you…" Elmyra trailed off; it had been exactly the wrong thing to say at the moment, and Aerith's face looked ready to shatter. Her motherly instincts stirred, Elmyra rushed over and embraced her daughter comfortingly. She drew Aerith's head onto her shoulder and brushed down her bangs.

They sat there together, in mutual silence. The musicians in the hall had apparently taken a little break. Several long moments passed until Aerith withdrew, avoiding her mother's eyes.

"Aerith, won't you please tell me what's wrong? You haven't been to work for three days…did something bad occur?" Elmyra hesitated, but continued. "I hate to ask you to do something when you're not feeling well, but it's already hard enough meet rent even with the both of us working…"

"I'm sorry Mom. It's really…difficult to explain, but. . ."

As Aerith recounted the story, Elmyra kept her expression carefully neutral.

". . . and when he said that, it just…took something out of me," Aerith finished rather lamely. Another wave of emotions stirred within her, and she breathed a heavy, but somewhat relieved, sigh.

"Honey…it's going to be all right; you really shouldn't let a guy upset you so much." Elmyra got up slowly off the bed, and moved to the other side of the room, strangely beginning to think of her long lost husband, and of the pain she had experienced when the news of her death reached her. It took time, but she had survived. Elmyra wandered if her daughter was now experiencing a similar crisis. Finally turning, Elmyra walked back and sat by Aerith, and laid a reassuring hand upon Aerith's shoulder. "Now that that's off your chest, don't you feel a little bit better?"

"A little," Aerith reluctantly admitted. She wiped her eyes briefly and continued, "I know I shouldn't let a guy get to me so much. Still—even after what happened—I want to meet him."

Elmyra frowned with disapproval, but decided not to prod further. She stood up again, brushed at her apron, and offered Aerith a tired smile. "So, now that we're all through moping, I'll go down and get you some tea. You must be starving cooped up here for so long."

Aerith glanced furtively at the wastebasket by her desk, which contained several apple cores and bread crusts. "Oh—yeah, thanks Mom…for everything. Please take your time."

"I'll be right back."

When she returned, tray in hand, Aerith was nowhere to be seen. In her place was a hastily scribbled note on the pillow. She shifted its position slightly in order to see it better. The contents instructed her not to worry, and to make dinner for only one tonight. Elmyra sighed and smiled grimly before making her way to the window. She looked briefly at the luminous moon before taking a hold of the curtains and sliding them together. Outside, the serenade began to play once more.

---

"Aww, come on man."

"I can't."

"What'd you mean you can't! Her house is right along the way to your condominium complex. Besides, remember that time you came into my office and asked me where she was? You're probably the only person in the office she knows. You got to do this!"

"Sir…I can't."

"All right Strife. I'm shocked. Our employee of the month apparently _can't _turn in any kind of assignment on time anymore, and now he _can't _do the simple errand of checking up on an absent fellow employee. I'm shocked, I tell you, I'm shocked. I guess this means the company _can't_ dish out promotions anymore, and it _can't—"_

"All right, all right! I'll do it—"

"Wonderful! Stupendous! You're the man, Str—"

Cloud hung up and grimaced. Although he liked Reeve, the man was outright unbearable when he became overjoyed. And his latest task was, at the very least, equally unbearable.

_Aerith…_

Her named burned in his mind, bringing back fresh feelings of guilt and remorse. He had tried to avoid thinking about her ever since the incident, but her face always managed to come up spontaneously; her eyes tearful with sorrow—yet not accusing. It didn't take a genius to figure out why she hadn't been to work for the past few days, and now…he had a chance to meet her in person and offer her an apology that he had been rehearsing inwardly. _So why am I hesitating?_

He knew the answer, of course, it was because—

A patient knock sounded at the door.

"Cloud, it's getting late…we're going to get caught in rush hour traffic at the train yard if we don't hurry. Are you ready?"

"Ah, Tifa…yeah, I'm ready. Give me another minute."

Cloud quickly gathered the papers on his desk and crammed them uncharacteristically into his suitcase. He paused midway, however, and took the additional amount of time to insert two sketches he had managed to recover three days ago; one depicting a field of yellow and white lilies, the other an actual snapshot of a field of yellow daisies. He signed momentarily, and cleared away the rest of the desk to reveal an official company flier—inviting him to join in on a company-sponsored cocktail party dedicated to another quarter of large profits.

"Cloud…?"

"Yeah…I'm ready."

* * *

**Written: **March 28th, 2005—November 27th, 2005 

**Submitted: **September 16th, 2006

**Last Edited: **September 16th, 2006

**Commentary: **I am very glad I kept a record of the dates. As you can see, there is a large time gap between November and September. Surprisingly, there's a simple explanation to this. What you've just read was a partial chapter; I was supposed to do another scene but I reached a stagnant area in writing where I was unsure about how to continue—and of course proceeded to place this manuscript on the perpetual backburner. Rather than wait a few more days to finish, and taking the chances of not ever getting to it, I have decided that what has been written would make a satisfactory chapter by itself, albeit with some updated edits. The beginning scene is based heavily on the play _The Glass Menagerie_ which is one of my personal favorites, and one that I'd highly recommend. Leave any thoughts that came to mind when you're reading if you'd like (in other words a review), and hopefully as the story unfolds I will find a way how to incorporate that bothersome white materia into something creative, realistic, and perhaps useful, though my mind is drawing blanks right now.


End file.
